Control box location?

[wardsa]

I want to put hang my control box on the wall next to my electrical panel. Is their any problem with doing this? I have a PRT Alpha.
Thanks, Terry

[jsfrost]

Things to think about.

(1) Since the case heatsinks internal componnents, air needs to circulate freely on all sides of the control box. It is best not to mount one side directly on the wall.

(2) The router enable switch needs to be convieniently accessably each time a cut file is run.

(3) Each installation will behave differently in terms of interferance and static. If wire routing and grounding are done well there will probably not be a problem. But there can be surprises.

[wardsa]

Thanks Jim, I'm mounting it off the wall with plenty of room for circulation. Access to the switch is one of the reasons I moved it, I don't want to waste my back, bending over to start it. I have to save it for moving sheets of MDF by myself! The interferance and static were my main question. Like you say, with electrical, anything can happen. Terry

[ed_lang]

I had my control box mounted under my PRTalpha for a year. I now have it mounted to a plywood base screwed to thd wall. It is not real close to the spindle controller and the cables do not run next to the spindle wires. From the computer position, which is high so you have to stand up to run it, I have the spindle to the right side where I can reach and see it easy. Then to the right of the VFD I have the silver control box. Since it is to the right of me, the power switch, reset and start switches are close to me. I like it. I know that having it mounted to the steel table helped to remove heat from the box and now I don't have that. If the control box get too hot I will mount a muffin fan under the fins blowing up to help with air movement. Since my shop has A/C and I use it, I don't expect too much trouble from heat.

[bill_l]

Terry,

I've got a PRS Alpha and the box is mounted on the wall about 20 inches below my sub-panel as is the VFD. I know that others have mentioned heat problems with the Aplha control box but I haven't experienced any. I've had no electrical interference either.

Bill

[don62]

i have a prt. couple years ago put the control box near my computer. Rfi from the computer when it did house keeping gave erroneous input to the control box - result was a ruined engraving. make sure prta control box is not susceptible to external rfi